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SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series.

Thomas Watson of Johnson Controls Power Solutions Named SAE International Fellow

WARRENDALE, Pa., May 27, 2016 - SAE International announces that Thomas Watson was elected as a 2015-2016 SAE Fellow. Watson was one of 18 Fellow inductees recognized during ceremonies at the 2016 SAE World Congress, April 12-14 in Detroit, Michigan.

Watson is the powertrain & vehicle systems engineering Vice President & Technical Fellow at Johnson Controls Power Solutions. In his seven years at Johnson Controls, he has held positions in engineering, technical planning, and R&D.

Watson was recognized as an SAE Fellow because he is a leader in powertrain technology development resulting in world class fuel economy and emissions as demonstrated on the Ford Escape Hybrid and Focus FCV. This expertise is being leveraged to help global automakers optimize energy storage in vehicle platforms for futured cost, performance, and regulatory compliance.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois and a master’s in business administration from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining Johnson Controls, Watson held the position of Vice President of Engineering and Technical Planning for ArvinMeritor’s Light Vehicle Systems business, and spent 18 years working for Ford. During his time at Ford he served as chief engineer of the 2006MY Ford Focus FCEV and as hybrid propulsion system manager of the 2005MY Ford Escape Hybrid.

He holds several patents in the areas of hybrid-electric vehicle emissions control and energy storage system design and operation (14 patents granted and pending). Watson was named “Engineer of the Year” in 2006 by Design News for his efforts in leading the Escape Hybrid team to deliver best-in-class fuel economy and emissions for an SUV. He was the technical backbone of the team that received the Edison Innovation Award in 2012 for development of a tool which educated consumers on the benefits of electrification tailored to driving styles.

Watson is a 33-year member of SAE International and has been a presenter at multiple section meetings, SAE Congress, the North American International Powertrain Conference, and the Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Technology Symposium.

SAE Fellow is the highest grade of membership bestowed by SAE International. It recognizes outstanding engineering, scientific and leadership accomplishments by an individual that have resulted in meaningful advances in automotive, aerospace, and commercial vehicle technologies. The program, established in 1975, recognizes an average of 20 recipients worldwide for this honor each year.

SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting over 128,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™.